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Onchiyam case: trial begins tomorrow

280 witnesses will be examined till April 17

The trial in the killing of the Revolutionary Marxist Party leader T.P. Chandrasekharan will commence at the Special Additional District Sessions Court (Marad cases) at Eranhipalam here on Monday.

Special judge R. Narayana Pisharadi is scheduled to examine 280 witnesses during 48 working days till April 17. The case relates to a section of leaders of Communist Party of India (Marxist) allegedly hatching a plot and engaging a hired gang to kill Chandrasekharan at Onchiyam on May 4, 2012.

Chandrasekharan had walked out of the CPI (M) in 2008 and had floated a dissident outfit posing a challenge to the party in rural Kozhikode.

The schedule has been prepared so as to complete the trial in the wake of an order of the High Court of Kerala directing the special court to complete the trial before July 31, 2013.

First witness

Vadakara Sub Inspector P.M. Manoj has been named first witness in the case while K.K. Rema, wife of Chandrasekharan, is the 12{+t}{+h}witness and their son, V. Abhinand, 13{+t}{+h}witness. Both had given statements that Chandrasekharan had faced threats from the CPI (M) and that their leaders had openly proclaimed that he would be killed.

However, the deposition of witnesses will not take place on February 20 and 21 in view of an all-India strike by trade unions.

Five police officers — Deputy Superintendents of Police, V.K. Abdul Khader; A.P. Shoukath Ali; Jossy Cherian and K.V. Santosh; and Circle Inspector V.V. Benny — will be examined after the deposition of prosecution witnesses. The questioning of 72 accused by the judge will take place only after that.

The government has appointed two Special Public Prosecutors P. Kumarankutty and C.K. Sreedharan for conducting the case.

Initially the special team had charge-sheeted 76 persons. However, only 57 persons would face trial as the Kerala High Court in January stayed the trial proceedings against 15 accused, including K.K. Ragesh, CPI(M) State committee member.

The trial court had also discharged Kariyath Valsan and K. Madanan from the list of accused as there were no sufficient materials to proceed against them. Two other accused, T. Rahul and K. Mohammed Sahir, are still at charge.